Process of oxidizing negative electrodes for primary batteries.



Patented Sept. 25, |900.

N. A .M E L 0 C I. nm oo 4, 8 5 5 0. N

PROCESS 0F UXIDIZING NEGATIVE ELECTBODES FDR PRIMARY BATTERIES` (Application filed Dec. 20, 1899.) I

(No Model.)

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"ATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE J. COLEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS J. RYAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF XIDIZING NEGATIVE ELECTRODES FOR PRIMARY BATTERIES;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 658,483, dated September 25, 1906.

Application filed December 20, 1899. Serial No. 741,030. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLYDE J. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Oxidizing Negative Electrodes for Primary Batteries; and I do hereby1 declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of negative electrodes for primary batteries, and more especially to that type of such negative electrodes which are composed,mainly,of copper oxid.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a simple and efficient process of oxidizing such copper oxid electrodes and in which a very perfect agglomeration of the oxid upon the holding su pport or casing is effected coincident with the process of oxidation to produce a negative electrode that is free from the usual cracks orseams and the consequent inert portions, bad contacts, and high resistances. Accordingly the present process comprises the filling or coating of the holding casing or support with finely-divided or porous metallic copper in any usual and approved mannerand the conversion of such lling or coating of metallic copper into an active oxid of copper by a continued exposure to an oxidizing atmospherein the presence of moisture until such filling or coating is wholly converted into an oxid. In like manner the present process involves the Yreoxidation of negative battery electrodes in which the active copper oxid has been reduced to metallic copper by previous use in a battery.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrative of the present invention, an apparatus is shown adapted to treat a number of negative electrodes at one time.

Referring to the drawing, l represents a closed chamber,in the bottom portion of which is contained a layer of water adapted to afford the requisite moist ure required in the present process.

2 is a supporting partition or diaphragm, upon which the series of electrodes 3 are supported in any suitable manner.

4 is the air-inlet duet connected to the cham-` ber l at a point below the partition 2 and immediately above the layer of water; 5, an airoutlet duct arranged near the upper end of the chamber. i

6 is a heating jet or burner arranged Ipeneath the-airdnlet duct 4 and adapted to heat the incoming air to the desired degree of temcases, and more especially when such heating effect is dispensed with, the circulation of air through the chamber will be effected in a positive manner by any usual well-known means. With the present process the oxidation of the copper takes place in a rapid and uniform manner and depends more upon the action of the moisture contained in the air passing through the oxidizing-chamber, as but a very moderate heat is employed. As a result of such uniform oxidation of the present process, the usual checking and cracking of the oxid coating or filling is avoided.

Having thus fully described my said invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The herein-described process of oxidizing negative electrodes for primary batteries, the same comprising the oxidation of a body of finely-divided or porous copper into a coherent mass by placing it in an oxidizing atmosphere and simultaneously supplying to it a requisite amount of moisture and controlling the supply of moisture, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described process of oxidizing negative electrodes for primary batteries, the same comprising the oxidation of a-body of iinely-divided or porous copper into a coherent mass, by placing it in an oxidizing atmosphere and simultaneously supplyingto it the requisite amount of moisture and the required degree of temperature above normal, and controlling the supply of moisture and temperature, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me at Vashington, District of Columbia, this 11th day of December, 1899.

CLYDE J. COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT BURNS, M. H. HOLMES. 

